Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-11-10
FARM NOTES.

is that which las cured we'll on the stalk
and been hung IN dry place.
Young steers can be made to increase
very rapidly. steer in Indiana "a
months old weighs 1916 pounds.
Now is the time to hatch very small
bantams, as the cold weather prevents
full development, and the smaller the
bantams the more valuable.
The value and Importance of a diversi-
ty of the crops was very apparent this
year where drouth prevailed. De not
place all dependence on single crop.
Where the dry weather has injured the
pastures keep the sheep off, as they
Craze very close, the effect of which
would be felt by the pasture crop next
season.
To show what may be obtained by good
| breeding it has been stated that in Eng
| land 1900 sheep recently brought $4,000,
which is over $12 each, and is very
large sum for SO many at one sale.
The turkeys should be given full range
now, as there are no crops they can harm.
They will find large portion of their
food, and a large flock can be raised at
very small cost if given plenty Of room.
Fine manure for crops is more valua-
BILE than coarse. Hens can break up
manure better, perhaps, than any one of
| the machines invented for that purpose.
Scatter some wheat over the pile and
turn them on.
On clay soils poultry yards may be
greatly improved by placing little
drain feet below the surface of the
ward, and then add one foot OF sand
Treated in this way, the rains carry down
much of the filth to the drains, and save
| labor.
| The farmer can not we'll get along with
out having at least a few COWS. He is
therefore interested, be it eve- SO little
in making them pay, and can not afford
to shut his eyes to an opportunity OF
acquiring points on profitable dairy man
agement.
Prof. Riley, one of the first authorities
on insects, does not approve of white,
washing the stems of shade trees. AS
against the tussock moth it may be OF
some slight use, but the bag worm, the
web worm and the elm leaf beetle car
not be affected by it.
Since 1860 the average amount of wool
grown on each sheep has doubled. In
per sheep; now it is pounds. This has
been accomplished by the grading up OF
common focks and improving them by
the use of merino rams.
The best fertilizers for grapes are bone
meal and potash. Unground bones are
slower in action than the meals but bush
ell of them buried at theroots of a vine will
in time be taken up and transformed in
to grapes. Wood ashes and homemade
soft soap suds furnish potash.
Among mutton eaters there is an in
creasing demand for more lean and less
fat as is the case with Down mutton
And in parts of the world where sheep
are raised as much for their meat as
their wool, this is going to be g leading
element in the question of what brand of
sheep to raise.
Very much depends upon the milking
both in regard to the yield of the milk
and the quality of the butter or cheese
made from it. The formation of the
cows udder is such that the secretion OF
the milk is helped by good milking,
while it is retarded and in time lessened
by bad milking.
After the fowls begin to mott they
should be given ground bone once every
| day and meal of meat at least three
times a week, as the shedding of the new
feathers is severe tax on them. If the
hens be we'll cared for while melting they
will begin to lay before winter. Sell off
the surplus cockerels, and do not retain
the late Matched pullets, as they will not
lay before spring.